Some 4,290 women who registered as land girls during WWII have been called “The Cinderellas” of women’s paid war service: they helped maintain food production in New Zealand under difficult wartime conditions yet were largely overlooked.
These women didn’t attest – formally enlist – thus weren’t issued Defence service numbers, weren’t permitted to participate in victory or Anzac Day parades, and were denied RSA membership.
Lynda Taylor, author of “The Cinderella Service,” discusses these themes in her newly-published book.
Lynda Taylor researched the land girls while completing her Master of Creative Writing, accessing handwritten letters and diaries penned by men and women on active service, and interviewing people in Hawkes Bay. Her young adult novel is published by Mary Egan Publishing.
Taylor and Dianne Bardsley, author of “The Land Girls: In a Man’s World, 1939-1946,” took part in an afternoon session at the weekend book launch.
Wairarapa Word thanked The Land Girl Cafe in Pirinoa for their support with the launch programme.
